Two queens, a dead man, and a dwarf walk into an arena. It’s the custom of Game of Thrones to offer a huge battle in the penultimate episode of each season while leaving the season finale to pick up the pieces, tie off various loose ends, and set the stage for the next year. “The Dragon and the Wolf” does all these things as it brings Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) and Cersei (Lena Headey) face-to-face for the first time. While the possibility of a truce doesn’t interest the Queen of Westeros, the proof of what is coming for them all beyond the wall can’t be denied. Daenerys’ show of strength also isn’t lost on Cersei. Letting herself be talked into a truce by the one man she hates more than any other in the world, Cersei gives Daenerys what she was hoping for… except she has no plans to actually fulfill her promise to help protect the seven kingdoms against the army of the dead. So much for a Lannister always paying their debts.

The worst plan ever backfires on Jon Snow (Kit Harington) and his companions. Shocker! An indeterminate distance above the wall the attempt to capture a single undead soldier gets the entire group surrounded by White Walkers and their undead enemy. On an island, separated by the harsh arctic water, the group stills themselves for when the water re-freezes and the undead army can march once more. Despite the risk to herself, and the loss of one of her dragons to the enemy (okay, how cool was that last scene?), Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) rides to the rescues getting the remainder of the fellowship, other than Snow, out alive. There’s plenty of action here (although the show once again plays very loose with things like time and distance). Snow’s survival is also a bit unbelievable given the chain of events.

After her resounding victory of dismantling the Lannister army, Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) is left to dispense justice on the battlefield. The breaker of chains has no intention of taking prisoners, leaving the surrendering soldiers with the choice of serving a new queen or death by fire. Returning , the Mother of Dragons is granted to a surprise in seeing how Drogon responds to Jon Snow (Kit Harington), in another small moment the show continues to build the trust between the wary allies while keeping the truth of Jon’s paternity from the both of them… at least for now.

In something which is beginning to become a pattern for the show, the season leaves its big event for near the end of the year. Season Three gives us the memorable Red Wedding in which we say farewell to some of the glut of supporting characters (although not necessarily all the right ones). And Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) begins to grow her army and legend. She gets some memorable moments, but sadly is destined to become mired in the show’s pacing and her journey home to reclaim her thrown will get put on hold for a good long while. Disconnected from all other threads, it seems obvious to everyone but the show’s writers that she’s the series’ standout character.

Given the ending of Season One in which Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) is literally reborn in fire while returning dragons to the world, I had high hopes for Season Two of Game of Thrones to raise its game. Sadly, this isn’t the case. Daenerys has become my favorite character, but due to circumstances beyond her control mean she spends nearly all of the show’s Second Season begging and whining (“Where are my dragons!”). Thankfully, by the end of the season, she seems to throw off her belligerent tantrums and take another step forward in her goal.

It’s the season’s penultimate episode which is the most memorable. While previously skirting around the larger battles around control for the Seven Kingdoms, the attack on King’s Landing provides the most action we’ve seen in the series so far. The episode also offers a big hero moment for Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage). I can’t say the same for the boring Stannis Baratheon (Stephen Dillane) whose goal to lay siege to the city ends in disaster thanks to Tyrion’s cunning and bravery.